Hoax phone calls and Bank Problems

[Jayneflakes]

I have just had a phone call from a company claiming to be acting on behalf of my bank, the first thing they wanted was my security details and they demanded them to confirm that they were speaking to me.

So me being me ask some questions before even considering giving out my security details. You see a couple of weeks ago I had to contact my bank because some one had tried unsuccessfully to access my account.

(me) What is your company name?

(Indian Guy) World Holdings Miss Flakes. Please can you confirm your security details. Where were you born?

Why, what do you want?

We need to discuss a personal matter with you.

so tell me who you are and what you want?

Not until I can confirm your details

Well you have just phoned me so you know who I am

Yes, but I need your security details.

Why do you need my details if you know you are talking to me?

To confirm that it is you.

So what do you want to discuss.

A personal business matter.

What business matter?

If you give me your security details I can discuss it with you.

He went on like this for several minutes, repeatedly going around in a circle. I should point out that my Bank has specifically told me that I am never to give out my details over the phone.

So I decide it is time to up the ante a little.

I do not give out security details over the telephone to organisations I do not know, I want to speak to your manager.

Why do you want to speak to my manager?

Because this is most irregular, I want to speak to your manager.

You do not need to speak to my manager, you need to speak to me about a personal business matter.

Are you refusing to allow me to speak to your manager?

No, but I can help you with this personal business matter, you do not need to speak to my manager.

I demand to speak to your manager now.

Why?

Why have you phoned me?

There is a long pause of a few seconds. Then a similar strongly Indian accented voice comes on the line.

Andy Williams speaking, how can I help.

I could swear blind it was the same guy, using a slightly different voice tone.

Why have you phoned me?

To discuss a personal business matter with you, can you please confirm some security details with us.

NO. I do not give out security details to unknown organisations who cold call me. Tell me what you want.

I am unable to discuss that with you, I represent World Holdings and we are acting on behalf of your bank ************* and we need to discuss your account with you.

Well, I have been expressly told by my Bank that I am not to give out security details over the telephone, if they wish to contact me, they will do so directly.

They should not have told you that Miss Flakes, they are wrong.

Well I am not prepared to discuss my bank details with you.

But this is urgent!

So what do you want to discuss.

I need your security details to discuss this matter with you.

At which point I lost my patience and the guy told me to contact my bank urgently.

So I got online pretty sharpish and checked my account. All was fine, so I phoned my branch and spoke to my adviser.

I just had a call from a company claiming to be called World Holdings acting on your behalf asking for my security details.

(real banker) Oh god, you didn't give them any did you Miss Flakes?

Oh no, but I know that my account was attacked recently.

Yes, we have that listed. No one has been able to access your account. I will log that you have had this phone call.

Does ********* bank use other firms to contact me on your behalf.

Absolutely not Miss Flakes, if we needed to contact you we would do so directly. Never give out your bank details over the telephone.


So now I am a bit worried, who was it who wanted to contact me and who gave them my details. Could it be the same people who attacked my account a while ago causing my bank to freeze it until I called them to sort it out?

I have been assured by my bank that this was a hoax call, but it still leaves me worried. What really annoys is that I was called while ill in bed and had to get up to deal with a rude and probably illegal sales call, which is doubly annoying because I am signed up with the Telephone Preference service and do not accept sales calls.

At least you did the right thing.

There's obviously plenty of people out there who fall for this otherwise they wouldn't waste their time with it.

[Biker Biggles]

I bet it was Lozzo trying to get a date with you.

[Spiderman]

Even when my banks farud dept called me from Spain (Abbey, just after Santander bught them) and i was pretty sure it was a legit call i still said i'm not giving you any details.

We had a simliar circular conversation cos its like a catch 22 innit? They cant tell me until they have passed me thru security and i wont give em my secuirty stuff until they prove they are who they are.

So i said, give me you name, your companies main line/swithcborad number and your direct line number or extension please. Once i have that i will call you back to ensure you are who you say you are. Being legit they happily obloged and even said "we're please you take you security info so seriously sir, if more customers were like this it'd make things harder for crooks."

So you did the right thing Miss Flakes.

Now if you could PM me wiht you DOB, place of birth, mothers maiden name and you cats name too of course, plus a copy of your signature i will look into this for you and get back to you.

And hey, of course you can turst me, I;m a guy in a cheap and tatty Spidey suit dont you know

[Jayneflakes]

Originally Posted by Biker Biggles

I bet it was Lozzo trying to get a date with you.

Awwwww, poor Lozzo. He knows that I am strictly girls only so I doubt it.

Originally Posted by Spiderman

So you did the right thing Miss Flakes.

Now if you could PM me wiht you DOB, place of birth, mothers maiden name and you cats name too of course, plus a copy of your signature i will look into this for you and get back to you.

And hey, of course you can turst me, I;m a guy in a cheap and tatty Spidey suit dont you know

Thank you Spidey, I knew we could count on you.
Although scarily it can be that easy to get info. Remember that folks next time you fill in a Friendly round robin e-mail from your mates!

[maviczap]

I had the beingings of a similar call today.

Usual no number on my caller display & a gap before the person at the other end was connected

Me Hello

Other guy Hello can I speak to Mr Mavic zap please

Who's calling please

It's Brett, Can I speak to Mr Maviczap

I'll just go and get him, which company are you calling from

I don't have to tell you

Well, if you can't tell me which company you're calling from then he won't speak to you................ Brrrrrrrrr Mr Maviczap hangs up

I have other routines for cold callers, sometimes I hold the phone up to the speaker on the TV depending on what my children are watching. Or i just put the phone down and leave them hanging on.

Sometimes I'll speak to them in German or baffle them with replies such as ' you want to sell me what? I'm sorry I don't want a helicopter today' as similar bizzare replies.

Has my children in stitches

I'm sorry if this your job, but I don't want what you're selling

[Spiderman]

I used to do telesales many years ago and you know what Maviczap... you're actually giving them a well deserved break from the usual "f off and get a life" replies by playning like you do, so everyone wins.

The real win, however, is when you baffle them enough to make them hang up on you

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by Spiderman

The real win, however, is when you baffle them enough to make them hang up on you

I have achieved this on more than one occasion.

I depends on what mood I'm in and what time they call, as to how I deal with them.

I had one double glazing telecaller try and sell me a new roof for my garage after he'd exhausted all other possibilities. Could fault him for effort

[ethariel]

Just tell them to F off and if its really so urgent a letter will do nicely and to leave you alone.

Then go and buy a whistle, next time they call you advise them that it's harrasment and you 'Have a whistle and know how to use it, now F off for good'

Lastly when they call again, just use the bleeding whistle, they will probably never call you again after that (or if they do, they will be using a different ear!)

If they have a basic grasp of English, I usually tell them that the call is an invasion of my privacy and that I'll be seking legal advice, then ask for an address for correspondence from my solicitor.